Big Ten Network to feature coaches on next ‘Icons’ (with poll)

Mark Silverman, Big Ten Network president

The Big Ten Network’s next original series will focus on the league’s iconic coaches in multiple sports, Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said today.

Starting this fall, the Big Ten Network plans to air 12 episodes of coaching icons, representing one coaching giant from each school. The network is working out the final details and later will announce the names. Longtime ABC college football announcer Keith Jackson once again will narrate the series.

“I think right now we’re going to do six football coaches in football season and six other coaches probably more toward January-February,” Silverman said. “We’re just really trying to find those iconic coaches from whatever program they may be.

“This isn’t a close-ended series. The coaches aren’t being ranked. This is something we just envisioned to continually do more and more of as we go forward, whether they’re players or coaches.”

“Big Ten Icons” was an original series that debuted last fall that featured the top 50 competitors among the league’s 11 members. The upcoming coaches series will include the league’s newest member, Nebraska.

“It’s a series that our fans have responded to, and we wanted to get something going this year and our thought was to pick one from each school,” Silverman said. “If they’re football, great. If they’re not football, that’s great too.”

Some of the choices seem fairly easy for the new series. Here’s a guess of what coaches will be highlighted:

Ohio State: Woody Hayes, football
Michigan: Bo Schembechler, football
Penn State: Joe Paterno, football
Nebraska: Tom Osborne, football
Wisconsin: Barry Alvarez, football
Indiana: Bob Knight, basketball
Purdue: Gene Keady, basketball
Michigan State: Tom Izzo, basketball (maybe Duffy Daugherty, football)

The others aren’t as easy to predict. Is Northwestern’s representative current women’s lacrosse coach Kelly Amonte Hiller or short-term football coaches Gary Barnett, Ara Parseghian or current leader Pat Fitzgerald? Will Illinois go with football’s Robert Zuppke or basketball’s Lou Henson? Minnesota’s football legend Murray Warmath or hockey legend Herb Brooks?

Iowa may have the toughest choice of all. Do you select Hayden Fry, who resurrected the football program to 14 bowl games after 20 consecutive losing seasons? Or do you pick Dan Gable, widely regarded as the greatest wrestling coach of all-time?

Big Ten Network to feature coaches on next ‘Icons’ (with poll)

ronaldmexico said: On May 11, 2011
I picked Gable, because the sport is such a part of the state’s sporting identity. No qualms with Fry at all, or with Evy, who is unnamed. There are actually a few great football coaches, including Howard Jones.
Matt Swessinger said: On May 11, 2011
For me, it has to be Steve Alford. The way his teams would underacheive for thirty games before finally getting it together in the Big Ten Tournament just in time to bow out in the first round of the NCAA tournament just spoke volumes about his coaching prowess. I also always enjoyed how he would throw his players under the bus after a tough loss.
Okay, so I’m kidding. I voted for Gable for the same reasons as ronaldmexico. But I also really wanted to vote for Hayden; I was ten during the 1990 Rose Bowl season and went to every home game and the Rose Bowl Game that year. I shed bitter tears after the Ohio State loss and reveled in the title-clinching win over Purdue. It was the season that I came of age as a Hawkeye fan.
Beau hudson said: On May 12, 2011
Look, it is easy. Gable all the way. No the real question should have been what Iowa Football coach is the greatest? Forest? Hayden? Kirk? now that is a tough one.
Tom Christensen said: On May 12, 2011
Beau, you make me vote easy with your comment about the three football coaches. They are all equal to me. Gable is the easiest choice as he is the greatest wrestling coach ever!
Nick Jay said: On May 13, 2011
There’s no question Gable is the most successful Iowa coach in any sport, ever. But when I think “Icon,” I don’t just think about success, I think about the face of the university. I think about personality. And when it comes to the University of Iowa, that will always and forever be Hayden Fry.
Garth Algar said: On May 13, 2011
Gable. These things are already going to be football and basketball-centric, so I’m sure the BTN wants to get some Olympic sports involved too. Quite frankly, Gable is probably a bigger Icon in his sport than any of those football and basketball coaches they have already chosen.